Can-seaming machine.



CAN SEA .ING MACHINE,

APPLICATIGN FILED MAH. 1 3, 1 9 x 7.

UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

FRANK W. BURPEE, JOHN H. BURPEE, AND CLARENCE IB.` BURPEE, OF SOUTH BELLING- HAM, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNORS TO BURPEE & LETSON, LIMITED, SOUTH BELLING- HAM, WASHINGTON.

CAN-SEAMING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 11, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we. FRANK W. BURPEE, J oHN H. BURPEE, and CLARENCE B. BURPEE, citizens of the Dominion of Canada, residing at South Bellingham, in the county of Vhatcom and State of lvashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can-Seaming Machines, of which the following is a speclcation. 4

This invention relates to a hand-'operated can seamer of that classexemplilied in an application filed by Frank W. Burpee on the 17th June, 1916 under Serial No. 104,272, and at present under examination by the Olice.

In the machine, which is the subject of this a plication, improvements are introduced 1n the structure of the frame and the operable mechanism of the machine to simplify l and render the earlier machine refel-red to more satisfactory in working, and to ermit adjustment of the machine to seam di erent sizes of cans.

To these features of improvement attention is drawn in the following specification, reference being made to the drawings by which it is accompanied, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation.

Fig. 2, a section to an enlarged scale of the bottom can support showing the can body in position on 1t.

Fig. 3 is a cross section of the base of the frame on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a plan of the end of the seaming roler lever and its bushing 0n the. pivot pin, an

Fig. 5 is a vertical section substantially on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

In these drawings 2 represents the base of an open frame of the machine comprising a, base member, two supporting columns and a top cross member, which latter carries the driving head of the seamer and its rotating mechanism. This frame 2 is secured to a. table or bench by a screw clamp 3 project1n downward from the middle of the base, an to enable the clamp to afford a more secure hold of the bench against oscillation about the clamp screw lugs 4 downwardly .project from the front of the base at each end, which lugs are designed to engage the edge of the ta le or bench to which the machine is se- 4 secured.

Rotatably mounted on the-upperend of a pin 5 secured in and upwardly projecting from the middle portion of the base of the frame 2 is the hub of a flexible resilient disk 6, the diameter of which conforms to the inside diameter of the recessed bottom of the can to be seamed, sc as to afford .support to that can against lateral displacement, and on the same stud 5 between the hub of the fleximent with the upwardly projecting pin 5 of the base, is the can driving head 12. This driving head is of a diameter to fit within the can cover and itsedge is knurled to effect a driving hold 'of it when the latter is pressed upward into engagement with it. The upper side of the driving head 12 is formed with bevel teeth 14 in which mesh those of a pinion 16 formed on the hub of the crank handle 17 which is rotatably mounted on a stud 18 integral with the frame 2.

lVith this provision, if a can 15 with its cover applied, is placed on the plate 6 and the handle 8 is partially rotated, the can will be lifted by the action of the inclines 9 to press the edge of the cover recess tightly upon the engaging edge of the driving head 12, and whlle that upward pressure is a yielding one owing to the flexible resilience of the plate 6, the can is strongly supported against lateral pressure to move it out of its axial alinement, by virtue of the edge of the presser plate fitting the recessed bottom of the can. The can so clamped will rotate with the driving head 12.

The seaming rollers 22, 23, by which the closing of the cover seam to the body of the can is effected, are mounted in a handle lever 21, which lever is mounted on a pin 20 between the upper end of one of the columns of the frame 2 and the corresponding end of the upper cross member of the same. To provide a read means of adjustment of thls lever to seam ifl'erent diameters of cans the lever is not mounted directly on the pin 20 but on an eccentric 4bushing 13 ttngthe pin. This bushing has key projections 14 across its upper end, which key projections t in a keyway across the face of the end of the cross member of the frame 2 which carries the upper end ofthe pin 20. The key projections 14 are across the center of the pin, so that the bushing may be turned on the pin 2O to throw the eccentricity of the bushing to or from the center of the driving head and thereby lessen or increase the distance of the fulcrum bearing of. the lever from the center of 'rotation of the driving head and therefore of the can in the maf chine.

One of the seaming rollers is mounted on each side of the middle line of the handle lever and stops are provided which limit the movement of each seamin roller at or adjacent the line joining the ulcrum bearing of the lever and the center of the driving head.

In operating on can bodies having a longitudinal seam, the end of which must of necessityy be included in the seam of the coverto the can, ditliculty is experienced in rotating the multiplied thickness of this seam under the seaming rollers, if the fulrum of the seaming roller lever is too rigidly connected to the can supporting means.

A suliicient measure of resilience is imparted to the fulcrum pin supports by providing a U bend 10 in the upper crossv membe'r of the frame 2 between the driving head and the fulcrum pin. The length of the side column of the frame which sup orts the lower end of the fulcrum pin, a ords 'sulicient resilience to the support of the lower end of the pin 20.v

The improvements have al1 been sug-A gested from practical experience in the working of the device, and though comparatively trifling as structural changes, are all very material to the satisfactory working value of the machine. Without the downwardly projecting lugs on the base of the frame the machine is liable to work loose under the opposite strains imposed on it in the use of thecrank handle: And although the pressure of the seaming rollers is applied directly over the sup ort ai'orded the cover seam by the driving liead, there is a slight tendency to lateral displacement of the can body on the plane surface of the original supporting plate 6`, which tendency is completely met by fitting that plate into liti' the recess of the can bottom asvdescribed.

, in the distance of the axis of the pivot of the seaming roller lever from'the axis of rotation of the driving head provides a simple means enabling the same seaming roller lever to serve for different sizes of cans, while such other parts as the supporting plate 6 may be furnished for each size of can the machine may be required to seam.

Having now particularly described our invention, we hereby declare that what we claim as new and desire to be protected in by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a can cover seamer having a can driving head rotatably mounted within a suitable frame and a seaming roller lever pivotally mounted to said frame adjacent the driving head, means for varying the dis tance between the center of the driving head and the pivot-al axis of the lever, said means comprising a pin secured in the frame, an eccentric bushlngthe bore of which fits the pin and on the outside of which the seaming roller lever is mounted, a key projection extending across the center of the bore at right angles to the line joining the center of the inside and outside circles of the bushmg, and keyways in the face of the frame adJacent the pin to receive the key proA jections of the bushing.

2. In a can cover seamer wherein the can drivingl head is rotatable within a suitable frame, and the seaming rollers are mounted in a lever which is pivotally mounted adjacent the driving head, means for imparting resilience to that portion of the frame between the driving head and the pivot of the lever, said means comprising a U bend in the frame intermediate of the driving head' and the lever pivot. 4

In testimony whereof we aiix our signatures.

FRANK W. BURPEE. JOHN H, BURPEE. CLARENCE B. EPEE. 

